Before you were famous

4: The work commitment

The wind softly blew over my wet skin as I lay stretched out beside the swimming pool. Today was an especially hot day and a dip in the pool was just what I needed to cool me down. I had been at Damian's house a full week now, savoring every moment with him. Damian was in the living room on a work call. He had been getting them more often the last two days. Most of them were actually work related the rest I assume had to do with me and the press wanting to know more about what exactly was going on between me and him since the kiss in the airport went viral. I did start to feel guilty that he was receiving all these calls asking about me since I wasn't famous it made it that much more intriguing to find out just exactly who I was. The last headline I read was so ridiculous I had to laugh 'Damian brings in a mail order bride from a remote African country.' Damian did not find it amusing and sent a lawyers letter to the publication to remove the article. From there I haven't really cared to go online much. I can hear Damian heading my way clear annoyance in his voice. “Sorry Jeff I can't do it. You know I have guests over and it's the weekend...” Damian walks over to me listening intently to his phone. He sits beside me on the lawn chair. “No, Jeff please don't do this! Send out a statement that I had to cancel for a family emergency!” He looks over at me smiling running his hand up my arm. “Fine Jeff I'll go, but just so you know I'm really not happy about this.... Okay Jeff bye.” He ends the call and sighs heavily. “Hey, beautiful did you enjoy your swim? I think I'll come and join you.” Damian looks over to the pool lost in thought. “It was lovely thank you... What was that call about?” I ask waiting for Damian to look at me. “That was my manager. He has reminded me that I have a fund raising event for tonight that I RSVP'd to a while ago... I completely forgot about it. I have no choice since it is being hosted by my co-star from my last movie I did and they believe it's good PR for the movie.” I nod. I knew he was a busy man and I was surprised that he had been available the last week to hang out with me so much. “So what time do you have to leave?” Damian looks at me grinning. “Oh, I’m not going alone... The only way I would agree to going was if I could bring a date... Would you like to go out with me tonight?” I sit up on the chair confused. “Wait that call sounded like you were really annoyed about going! I didn't hear you mention it once.” Damian is still grinning clearly amused. “Well actually we spoke about it inside. I tried to get out of it one last time. I was afraid you wouldn't want to come?” I shake my head. “But I don't have anything to wear? Is it a formal event? Hell I don't even have something close to formal to wear!” I start to panic a little bit. Damian grabs his phone. “I knew you would say that. You don't have to worry about anything! I have to actually get a suit so I will range that my stylist brings over some dresses for you.” He narrows his eyes at me. “don't laugh! Yes, I have a stylist, because apparently wearing a normal black suit is just not always acceptable.” I do laugh at him.

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My mouth hung open as I stared at the dresses Lina brought with her. There were so many I though I had walked into a private boutique. Lina was a short lady around forty years old. She pulled her red hair back in a tight bun at the back of her head. She had been Damian's stylist for the last two years and knew exactly what she was doing. She gave me a once over twirling me around. She looked at my hair narrowing her eyes then studying the rest of my body. For almost 5 minutes while she was looking at me she didn't say a word, just a 'mmm' here and there. When she finally spoke it startled me. “Yes, I have the perfect dress for you!” She exclaimed rushing to the dresses and pulling one out. She pulled the dress out in front of me. It was a long red, sweet heart neck line dress. Flowing in soft folds from the mid section, with a thin silver belt in the middle. “This is the perfect dress and you must wear your hair up!” She pushes me in to the bathroom to put on the dress. It takes a few minutes before I'm finally done. When I get out the bathroom Lina had already gathered the dresses and was on her way out the room. “Yes, that is lovely! Your shoes are over there and hair and make up will be here any second.” Lina points out the black heels in the corner of the room and walks out quietly. A moment later two woman enter and take me to a chair in front of the mirror in the bathroom. They work on my hair and make up at the same time joking and gossiping about all the types of people they had worked on before. “You are the first girl that I know of that Damian has brought home. Even when he was dating that blond girl... what's her name again... Oh, yeah Maddie Greenwald. I did not like her!” The hairstylist Ashley says while she finishes off my hair. “Oh, how long did Damian date her?” I ask a little disappointed. “I think it was like 6 months. Damian was always working most of the relationship. I honestly don't think he was even serious about her. It made her crazy!” I felt a little relieve to hear that he wasn't serious about their relationship. It did however bother me that he never mentioned her when we spoke about our pasts.

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Damian was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs his hair styled back. He was grinning from ear to ear. He was wearing a black suit with a red bow tie, the same red as my dress. “Claire you look breathtaking!” He exclaims. “Thank you mister Fisher you don't look to bad yourself!” I smile back at him. Hundreds of butterflies started to form in my stomach. “are you ready to go?” He asks holding a hand out toward me. “yes, I hope so!” We walk hand in hand to a black limo waiting in the driveway for us. “Wow, a limo? I feel like a princess tonight!” I blush when Damian gives me a warm smile. “You are a princess!” He helped me into the limo. Once we sat inside he poured us both a glass of champagne. “This might be a little overwhelming tonight. There are going to be a lot of press and they are all going to want to talk to you. I will be with you every step of the way, and if you don't want to disclose to much information that's perfectly fine. We will tell them only what you want them to know.” I nod a little panic starting to build up inside me again. “I trust you Damian and I give you permission to answer any questions about me you want to. I have no clue how any of this works and I sure you will know exactly what to say.” He takes a sip of his champagne clearly also as nervous as I was feeling. “Okay thank you! Tonight is going to be magical!” He says, but I can detect the worry in his voice. We are stuck in traffic for a long time behind limo after limo. “Everyone gets to make a grand entrance. We should be there soon.” Damian explains answering my unspoken question. Finally when we arrive at the hotel there were hundreds of people gathered behind ropes on one side of a red carpet. The driver of the limo opened up the door for us. Damian got out first and then held a hand out to me. The moment I got out of the car everyone went crazy, People were yelling from every direction. “Damian! Damian... Damian Fisher!” Damian took my hand holding it tightly. “Take a deep breath I'm right here. We will take some pictures and answer a few questions and then we can go inside.” He gave me a reassuring smile. “I'm ready...” We stood on the carpet for a few minutes being showed where to stand and where look changing pose every few seconds. Finally we were showed to a group of reporters standing to one side. “We will only be answering a few questions.” Damian started. He stood in front of a blond woman wearing a black cocktail dress. “My name is Mandy and I'm from channel 54 entertainment news.” She shakes both our hands and then proceeds to ask us questions. “Damian please tell us who your date is tonight?”

 “This is Claire Daniels she is my old high school friend, but tonight she joins me as my date and girlfriend.” The moment I hear the words girlfriend leave his lips I start to blush. We haven't had the talk yet about what our relationship was, but hearing that he saw me as his girlfriend filled my heart up with joy and love. “Claire... Claire sorry I asked what you thought about Damian's last movie.” Mandy's question snaps me back to reality. “I'm sorry... yes, I thought it was great! Amazing acting and I'm not just saying that because I'm dating the lead!” The three of us laugh. After a few more generic questions we are escorted inside the building to a beautiful ball room filled with round tables. I recognize a lot of familiar faces from movies and TV shows I have watched. Damian seems to know almost everyone we walk past greeting them warmly and sometimes making a joke here and there. We are finally shown to our table, where we receive a glass of champagne each. “are you okay? You have been awfully quiet since we came inside?” Damian asks with a worried expression. “If this is to much for you please let me know and we can leave.” Nervously I laugh. I didn't mean to laugh. “Oh, no it's not that. You called me your girlfriend!” I blurt out. Damian laughs. “Sorry was it too soon to put labels on our relationship? I really want you to be my girlfriend.” He takes my hand in his and kisses it. “I want to be your girlfriend too... This is all so unreal... what if I wake up tomorrow and this was all just a dream?” I sigh heavily. “Don't you worry I can promise you that this isn't a dream and by tomorrow your name will be on everyone’s lips.” I see the worry flash across Damian's face. “Is that a good thing? I guess my mother will not be happy.” I take a sip of my drink. “Are you happy Claire?” Damian's question startles me. “Of course I'm happy... I have been waiting for this for five years! I know our history isn't exactly the perfect way to meet, but I try to convince myself that all that horrible past is something we can never change. I live with this everyday, but being with you helps the pain feel a little less every time I see you. So this must mean that I'm happy doesn't it?” I look up at Damian hopeful that he understands. “I feel the same way Claire. This has been the best week of my life... ever!” Damian brings his glass to mine and we toast to the best week of our life.